Separator for batteries



` Oct. 17, 1944. A D'UGHTY 2,360,658

SEPARATQR FOR BATTERIES Filled May 27;- 19434 @gai/ Patented Oct. 17, 1944 L UNITED: STATI-:s PAT-ENT orales- I 2.8mm

sarsna'ron ron Barrantes mm a." Doughty, oie-mae, rn., mmm ai hocken, Pa., a corpontllolxlnoxlfpgmnqniamo- Application May 27, 1943, Serial No. 488,771

i s claim. (ci. isa-145) Carliie Doughty,

The present invention relates to storage batteries andmore particularlyto an improved separator for such batteries.

Some of the oblects of the present invention are to provide a new and novel separator i'or storage batteries; to provide a separator wherein provision is made for the rapid escape of gases from the cells of the battery; to provide a separator wherein obstructions to the flow of current are reduced to a minimum; to provide a multi-part separator of greater emciency than heretofore: to provide a separator inthe form of a reticulated grid; to provide a separator formed as a combination of a reticulated grid.

and a mat of porous material; to provide a novel multi-part separator assembly arranged to be inserted between the plates ot a battery cell as a unitary structure; to provide a separator wherein a plurality oi vertical channels serve as" escape passages for gases: to provide a novel line contact means for a separator and an adjacent part; to provide a separator whereby in the use thereof ,a battery not only operates with greater eiiciency but has a longer life; and to provide other improvements as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 represents a. side elevation, partly broken away. oi a battery separator embodying one form of the present invention; Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of negative and positive battery plates with a Beparator of the present inventi between the plates: Fig. 3 represents a 0n line. 3.-@ of F'ig. 1; Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary Dart of the section of Fig. s on an enlarged scale: Fig. 5 represents a section on hne H or Fig. l: Fig. 6 represents a fragmentary part of the section of Fig. 5 on an enlarged ame; and Fig. 'l represents a fragmentary detail in section and on an enlarged scale showing a modiiied form of the separator frame work.

4Referring to the drawing, one form of the present invention consists of an insulation body i0 of lattice worlr construction and a mat I-i of porous materiel conforming generally in di mension to the body il against whichit is laid in contact to take a. position between the body Il and the positive battery plate i2, or between v the body It and the negative battery plate I3.

or in both positions. 4In the preferred form shown in Fig. 3, the mat Ii has a length sumcient to permit folding it around an edge oi the y body lli so that it spaces both sides of the body il from the respective battery plates i2 and' i3. This is advantageous because it saves time .in

assembling the separators between the battery A"rimes, Thus, instead of merengue pam in I6. The bars it are preferably diamond shaped kin cross section and are relatively clely spaced two operations. both the body il and the m'at il can be inserted together. As shown. the met il is formed of spun glass compressed into the form of a thin, hat diaphragm to rest in contact with a face of the body it. While the mat Il is shown as formed of minute glass strands giving the new porosity, any) other suitable material unattackable by battery' electrolyte may bel used to form the mat, as i'or example. porous rubber, or perforated rubber, or any other nonconductive material in .sheet form arranged to permitthe circulation oi the electrolyte.

The body l0 lsfiormed asa. skeleton frame o! vinsulating material having interccnnectedvertical parallel bars ii and horizontal parallel ribs to form vertically disposed 'channels which open at'the upper ends into the space above the battery plates so that the rising gases have access to the usual venting outlets. and the circulation of electrolyte maintained. In connection with the ribs iii it should be noted that these are preferably circular in cross section and are altemately staggered with respect to a vertical median line throughout the length of the vertical channels to thereby form a tortuous path for the gas and electrolyte as indicated by arrows in Figs. i and 8. The preferred diameter of the ribs i5 is such that the vertical parting line of the body i0 will be tangent toral'l of the ribs I5 at the inner ends ofthe respective bar diameters. while the outer ends of these same diameters will have 'a line contact at one side either with the negative plate i2 or the mat Il, which is interposed therebetween, and at the other side with the mat ii. This line contact is important because it reduces the area which normally obstructs the iiow of current and hence ensures a relatively-low internal resistance. The body or grid II is molded by means of a two-part mold. each haii of which has a tace provided with riblike projections or dennite shape so that ythe general face appearance is that of a rack. These .Il forming the horizontal parallel strips of the body I9 are oi'. triangular section with'the bass buckling of the plates when the plates attempt to grow.

2 o! each in a vertical plane while the apices thereof extend alternately v in opprsite directions. Thus, one set or ribs il meet an adjaeent plate or mat in line contacts while the other set or ribs It meet an adjacent plate or mat in line contacts, the said plates or mats being at opposite sides of the body Il as will be understood.- Also. the bases of the rows of ribs lie in the same vertical piane, in this instance the parting plane of the body It, and therefore the ribs Il provide an undulating path for gas to rise vertically and escape at ine upper end of the separator.

The body Il is made oi' any insulating material, glass, rubber, asphalt composition, ceramics, plastics. or any material capable-of forming a relatively rigid skeleton frame work. 'Ihis rigidity of the side and vertical bars resists any and prevents one plate from touching another. Also. the horizontally disposed ribs coniointly with the vertical bars prevents the active material from bulging out foregoing the preferred arrangement of separator and mat is described, the invention is not limited to such speciiic folded mat construction While in the plurality of line but to the contrary can be arranged in various ways without departing from the invention. Thus. a mat of porous rubber can be placed against the negative plate, then the'grld member, and then a spun glass against the positive plate, or this arrangement can be reversed. Also, the

grid member may be the center between two.

mats, or again the grid member may be faced with only one mat.

It will now, be apparent that a novel combination separator has been devised wherein an ingenious grid structure forms the main body of the separator and is so arranged and constructed as to'iacilitate the escape of gases and to Permit proper circulation of the electrolyte. It should be particularly noted that the spacing of the bars and ribs oi the body Il is auch that one or the other is juxtaposed to the active material in the interstices of the battery plate. While ordinarily such an arrangement might increase the internal resistance o! the battery, such is not the case here because each bar and each rib. by reason of its' novel sectional shape. registers with the active material in a thin line contact and hence interference with current flow is practlcally nil. While growing 0i the active material is prevented.

While several forms of the invention have been shown as illustrative forms of embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to iany specinc construction, but might be appliedito various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A separator for storage batteries consisting oi the combination of a porous mat formed or material unattackable by battery electrolyte, and a juxtaposed skeleton frame-work of insulating material formed by a plurality of vertical bars forming a plurality or channels for gas, and a plurality of horizontal ribs between said bars traversing said channels in staggered relation and interconnecting said bars said mat being in contact with a face of said frame-work 2. A separator for storage batteries consisting of the combination or a porous mat formed of material lunattackable by battery electrolyte and a juxtaposed skeleton frame-work of insulating material formed by a plurality o! vertical bars 'forming a plurality of channels for gas, and a plurality of horizontal ribs between said bars traversing said channels in staggered relation and interconnecting said bars, the ribs -at one side of said frame work touching said mat in a contacts.

3. A separator for storage battery consisting of the combination of a porous mat formed oi material unattackable by battery electrolyte and a juxtaposed skeleton frame-work of insulating material formed .by a plurality of round vertical bars forming a plurality of channels for gas. and a plurality of round horizontal ribs between said bars traversing said channels in staggered relation and interconnecting said bars, said bars and ribs being so located as to provide line contacts between each bar and each rib and said mat, in assembled relation.

4. A separator for storage batteries consisting of the combination oi' a porous mat formed oi material unattackable by battery electrolyte and a `iuxtaposed skeleton frame-work of insulating material'formed by a plurality of polygonal vertical bars forming a plurality oi channels for gas. and a plurality of polygonal ribs between said bars traversing said channels instaggered relation and interconnecting said bars, said bars and ribs having laterally arranged apices to convertical and horizontal channels, and a pervious mat formed of a material unattackable by battery electrolyte located in the path of electrolyte leaving said horizontal channels, said mat being in contact with a face of said frame-work.

-LEON A. DOUGETY. 

